I9I3] Alfred P. Lothrop 455 



attached a thin rubber tube, 80 cm. long. The capsule and attached 

 tube are swallowed at night to the point marked 80 cm. In the 

 morning 200 c.c. of milk are drunk by the patient and two hours 

 later the contents of the duodenum are aspirated. During the 

 night the capsule is propelled through the pylorus by peristalsis. 

 The milk acts as a test meal in stimulating pancreatic secretion. 



The material obtained is tested quantitatively for the strength of 

 its pancreatic enzymes. The methods employed are : For amylasc, 

 a modification of the Wolgemuth starch test; lipase, the ethyl buty- 

 rate test; trypsin, the Fuld-Gross casein test and tests with Permi 

 gelatin tubes, Mett tubes and coagulated tgg albumen cubes. 



Normal values for the strength of the pancreatic enzymes in the 

 duodenum were first noted in repeated tests of a normal adult. 

 Figures were then obtained similarly in pathological cases of in- 

 terest. The following results were recorded : Acute pancreatitis, 

 marked deficiency of the enzymes; chronic pancreatitis, partial inter- 

 ference with the strength of the enzymes; diabetes mellitus, in- 

 creased strength of enzymes; hypertrophic cirrhosis of the liver, 

 hypersecretion of the pancreas, enzymes very active; gastric dis- 

 eases, enzymes normal ; achylia gastrica, enzymes normal. In this 

 latter group of cases it was impossible to demonstrate the occurrence 

 of a milk-coagulating enzyme, the conclusion being that also the 

 normal pancreas does not contain rennin or any other milk-coagulat- 

 ing enzyme. Enzymes were absent in cases of tumor of the head of 

 the pancreas hut present in stone impacted in the diverticulnm of 

 Vater. 



65. The occurrence of a urease in castor bean.*^ K. George 

 Falk {hy invitation) . {Harriman Research Laboratory, Roosevelt 

 Hospital, New York.) A castor bean preparation, husk and oil- 

 free, when allowed to stand in an aqueous Solution of urea, caused 

 the formation of ammonia, as shown by the distillation of the 

 ammonia in a current of air at the ordinary temperature. A castor 

 bean preparation, heated with water and then similarly treated, 

 formed no ammonia. 



66. The action of manganous sulfate on castor-bean lipaseJ 

 K. George Falk and Marston L. Hamlin. {Harriman Re- 



'Falk: Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1913, xxxv, p. 292. 

 ' Falk and Hamlin : Ibid., 1913, xxxv, p. 210. 



